Once Bitten
by katbybee
Summary: Carter learns a lesson...the hard way. Written for the Forum XIIIc 26) Carter's Ring Challenge – Tuttle—to explain why Carter wears a wedding ring. Please R/R. Usual useless disclaimers apply.
1. Surprise!

Written for the Forum XIIIc 26) Carter's Ring Challenge – Tuttle—to explain why Carter wears a wedding ring.

A/N: This story does not follow the premise set in my other Carter stories, regarding his age or his volunteer vs. draft status. He is not a code-talker in this story, either.

~HH~

Jan 1942

Fort Henderson, CA*

Eighteen-year-old Andrew Carter stirred in his sleep. He was warm and comfortable, and subconsciously, he really hoped his DI would forget to wake him up. Boot camp was difficult, and he relished any break he could get. He had not had much sleep ever since he had been drafted.

He cracked open his eyes, and groaned. He was not used to drinking, and he had never experienced a hangover until now. _As a matter of fact, he could have gone the rest of his life without one…_

The first thing that registered to him was that he was not in the barracks. He was in a large bed in what looked to be a hotel room. He lay there a moment, trying to remember how he had gotten there. He was startled when he rolled over and discovered a beautiful redhead sleeping soundly next to him. Confused, he reached over to wake her, and caught sight of his left hand. A gold band rested on his ring finger, looking for all the world as if it belonged there. The problem was, he had never seen it before. He sat up in bed and stared at the still-sleeping woman. _At least, he didn't remember seeing it…_

 _What had happened last night?_ He glanced down at himself. He was totally naked. He was not as naïve as his barracks-mates liked to think. He was a virgin, but he had made out with girls before. He knew the score. But he could not remember what had happened with the redhead, although it seemed fairly certain _something_ had happened. He glanced over the side of the bed and spied his clothes. He grabbed his shorts and pulled them on, trying not to wake the girl. He wasn't ready to deal with her quite yet.

He wracked his brain, trying to remember the evening before. They had graduated from boot-camp three days ago, and they were waiting for their next orders. He had drawn guard duty on the two nights following graduation, and then received a three-day pass. He and several other soldiers had come into town late yesterday afternoon. Immediately, he had been swept up in the post-graduation celebrations, and had drunk way more alcohol than he had intended. His last clear memory was of his buddies challenging each other to a drinking game. And he had joined in. Apparently, sometime after that, he had met the girl now sleeping in his bed. He glanced over at her again. She stretched in her sleep, and he knew instantly that all her clothes were AWOL. He only hoped they were somewhere in the room.

He shook his head, considering his options. Dressing and leaving came to mind, but he dismissed the notion immediately. He was not that kind of man. If he had done something stupid, he was responsible. _And winding up hungover in bed married to a woman he couldn't remember even meeting was definitely stupid._

His next thought was that perhaps his buddies were playing a prank on him….and he sincerely hoped that was the case. He realized he would never know if he didn't bite the bullet and wake the girl up. He turned back to her just as she stretched again and opened her eyes. She smiled, and leaned into him. She kissed him soundly and exclaimed, "Good morning, darling!" As she moved to put her arms around him, he saw she was also wearing a ring—a diamond ring. One that looked expensive. After extricating himself from her embrace, he reached for his wallet. At least that was still where it belonged, along with his military i.d. and his driver's license. He checked his cash…He had kept it with him, understanding there was no safe place in the barracks to leave it until he got to the bank. He had over two months' pay saved up, and had brought it with him to open an account in town. Nearly $100. All that was left was two one-dollar bills and a couple of quarters. _He was broke._ He found a receipt in his wallet for the rings. He gaped at the total. $84.50. And his signature was scrawled across the bottom of the receipt. Apparently, the owner of the jewelry store was taking no chances.

The girl had jumped out of bed, and headed into the bathroom. She seemed much more at ease with the situation than he was. Carter finished dressing and decided it was time to sit down with his…bride…and talk. He didn't even know her name. Oh, his mother was going to kill him! He rolled his eyes, realizing he was in a lot of trouble all the way around. Soldiers had to get permission from the Army to marry, after all!

He was working on tying his tie when the girl came back into the room. She sat on the edge of the bed staring at him. She had apparently stashed her clothes in the bathroom, because she was now dressed. He grabbed a chair from the corner of the room, and, turning it backwards, he sat down, folding his arms across the back of the chair, and returned her stare with his own blue-eyed gaze.

It was only at that point that she began to look flustered. She took a deep breath. "So…I guess we're really married, huh? By the way, I don't remember your name. Sorry about that."

Carter sighed. "It's okay. I can't remember your name, either. As a matter of fact, I can't remember much of anything about last night. My name is Andrew. Private Andrew Carter."

She looked at him more critically. Rather ungraciously, she frowned and said, "You're only a private? Terrific."

Now it was Andrew's turn to frown. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing really. It's just that I never pictured myself married to a private. That's all."

Andrew smirked. "That's okay, I never pictured myself married to anyone."

Her eyes widened. "Uhhh, you do—I mean, you do like girls, right?"

Andrew's own eyes widened as he caught her meaning, and his ears began to flame. "Of course, I like girls! I'm not like that!"

She held up her hands as if to fend him off. "Okay, I'm sorry! I just wanted to make sure!"

"Why would you even say that?"

"A girl can't be too careful, you know."

The absurdity of her statement seemed to hit them both at the same time. In moments, the two were laughing nearly hysterically. It took a few minutes for them to catch their breath.

Andrew sobered and stared at his new bride. "So, what is your name, anyway?"

~TBC~

A/N: *Fort Henderson is fictitious, and is a nod to Larry Hovis's role in "Gomer Pyle, USMC," Season One.


	2. Choices

The girl stopped laughing and said, "Delores Ruth Edmonds. My friends call me Dee."

"Delores Ruth. That's a pretty name."

Dee grimaced. "I hate it. It makes me sound like the old maiden aunt I was named after."

Andrew smiled. "If it's of any comfort, I have a cousin named Ruth. We grew up together. She was always one of my favorites."

Dee smiled shyly. "Do you have a big family?"

Andrew grinned. "Do I ever! I've lost count of all the cousins. I have five brothers and a sister. My older brother Sammy is in the Air Corps. That's what I wanna do. My younger brothers are all too young for the army. What about you? Do you have a big family?"

Dee smiled sadly. "I don't really have any family. My parents didn't like my career choice, and so we don't talk. All we ever did was argue, anyway. I don't have any other family. I was an only child."

Carter tipped his head, interested. "So, what was your career choice?"

At this, Dee grinned. "I'm an actress!"

Carter was surprised. "An actress? Here, in Fort Henderson?"

"Well, I haven't made it to Hollywood yet, but I will someday. I have done summer stock, and I had lots of leads in Drama in high school. I live just off-post with my room-mates."

"You said before that you never pictured yourself married to a private. What did you mean by that?"

Her eyes sparkled as she laughed. "Well, I'm not sure my father would be too happy. We may not talk much, but he always told me he never wanted me to be a soldier's wife."

"Well, gee, that seems kind of harsh. What's wrong with having a private for a son-in-law?"

"Nothing, unless you happen to be a general."

Andrew shook his head, hoping he had not heard her correctly. "Your father is a general?"

Blithely she replied, "Yes. As a matter of fact, he is the base commander."

She didn't seem to notice his near-heart attack as his career passed like lightning before his eyes. _Dee was General Edmond's daughter! He was a dead man._

Brightly, Dee said, "Let's go get some breakfast. I am starving!"

Now, he was reminded of his dire financial situation. He decided he would be honest with her. "Ah, I have to tell you…that could be a problem…"

She arched a questioning eyebrow. "Why?"

He pulled out the receipt for the rings. It might not have been the most gallant thing to do, but he really didn't see a choice. "I'm flat broke. The rings took most of what I had. Apparently, I used the rest for the room."

Dee smiled. "It's okay. It'll be my treat. I still have most of what I brought with me last night."

Andrew began to protest, but Dee just smiled. "Hush. Neither one of us needs to miss a meal. Please don't be stubborn! After all, it _is_ our honeymoon."

Andrew blanched at the thought. "This is not what I had in mind for a honeymoon. Not in a million years."

Dee smiled sadly. "I know. And this is not exactly what either of us had in mind for this weekend. But until we figure out what to do, at least let me feed you."

Reluctantly, Andrew agreed, and he escorted his new bride down to the diner next to the motel.

~HH~

"You saw my daughter in town with a soldier? Who was he? Where did you see them?"

General Mitchell Edmonds was currently towering over a young private. At 6' 5", this was not difficult. He had heard the rumors about his daughter all morning, and he was determined to get to the bottom of the situation. His aide had finally tracked down one of the men who had been on liberty and had only just been returned to the base by the MP's, due to the fact he had gotten into a bar fight, along with several of his barracks-mates. The others were not due back until the following day.

The young private knew he was in trouble, and decided that barracks loyalty only went just so far. He knew Carter, but they were not friends. And if nailing Carter for his stupidity made the general go easier on him, then so be it. He took a deep breath and told the general everything that had happened in town, from the time they had left the base, until he had watched Carter and the girl disappear out the front door of the bar. He didn't try to account for exactly what happened after that, but scuttlebutt had it that he and the girl were both sporting rings when they had dropped back by the bar. Carter had come in to ask if anyone knew of a good, cheap motel.

And Private Belechinski was only too happy to share that bit of gossip, as well. What he was not prepared for was the general's reaction. The man turned purple and completely lost his composure. "I will kill him! So, help me, when I lay my hands on that kid, I will kill him!" He turned to his aide. "Get the MP's in here. I want this man locked up until he receives orders to ship out."

Belechinski was confused. "But, General, I told you what you wanted to know!"

The general eyed him sternly. "Yes, you did. But you could have stopped Carter, and you did not do so. Instead, you decided the best way was to snitch on him in hopes of reducing your sentence for fighting. While I appreciate the information, I do not appreciate the fact that you tried to use my daughter, as well. I fail to see why I should reward you for your actions. Dismissed!"

The MP came in just then, and took him by the arm. Belechinski looked plaintively at the general's back as he was escorted out. He mumbled, "Hasn't anyone ever heard the saying, "don't shoot the messenger?" As they headed for the brig, the MP growled back at him, "Yeah, but you ain't no messenger. You're a snitch. And Carter ain't gonna like it one bit."

Belechinski scoffed, "He's a skinny runt. I could take him easy!"

And Sgt. Greenbaum* laughed. "Yeah? I got news for you. I've known Carter most of my life. We grew up together. You just keep thinkin' you can take him. And let me know when you decide to try. I wanna watch."

~TBC~

A/N: *The MP Greenbaum appears in a story Carter tells Newkirk in "Earthquake." I liked the character, so I brought him back for this story, although "Earthquake" is completely unrelated to this story.


	3. Twice Shy

Dee looked at Andrew across the table. They had finished their meal, and were enjoying a cup of coffee. "Now what? Any ideas?"

Andrew smiled ruefully. "I'm assuming you don't want to stay married."

She smiled back. "Not really…I want to be an actress. I just don't see myself as the married type. Not for a long time."

"Okay, so, maybe we can get it annulled. I am sure your father will want that, also. The biggest problem is that your father is going to have my hide. If he finds out about this, my career in the army is over. Not to mention the fact that he will likely kill me."

Seriously, Dee nodded. "He could, but I don't think he will. What he will probably do is try to send me off to school at some really strict women's college. As for you, I would about bet he will have you assigned overseas as soon as possible. It might even cost you a promotion. I doubt he will throw you out. And, it goes without saying that we'll have to agree never to have any contact at all."

Andrew sighed. Dee had covered the bases pretty well. "I am so sorry, Dee."

She smiled. "I know. So am I."

There seemed to be nothing else to say, and so they finished their coffee in silence. Mentally, Carter prepared for the storm in his future.

~HH~

Back in the room, the two sat in silence. It had been easy enough to find a judge to annul the marriage. After all, both had spoken truthfully when they were asked if the marriage had been consummated. Dee had figured out it hadn't…probably due to the fact they were both too drunk at the time. The whole situation made Andrew sad. This was not what he wanted at all. Dee insisted on returning to her apartment alone, promising to contact her folks immediately. She was adamant that she would talk to her father. She also gave him back the ring. She told him to sell them, so that he could at least get through until his next payday. Neither of them mentioned the fact that he might not have a next payday.

Quietly, she left, after kissing him on the cheek. "Goodbye, Andrew. You're a good man. Please take care of yourself."

Once he was alone, Andrew sighed in frustration. He looked at her ring as it lay sparkling in his hand. He would sell it, but it wouldn't heal the pain of his mistake. Not for a while. He glanced thoughtfully at the ring still on his own finger. For reasons he couldn't yet fathom, he had no desire to remove it. He looked around the empty room, grabbed his jacket, and headed back to the jewelry store.

The clerk, the same one who had sold him the rings, was sympathetic, though the young man offered no explanation. It wasn't the first time he had seen this happen, and with so many young soldiers training for war, he knew it wouldn't be the last. He took back the diamond ring, and gave him the full price he had paid for it. It was the decent thing to do, and the clerk was a decent man. What did surprise the jeweler was that the other ring stayed firmly on the young soldier's finger.

Carter left the store with the money, and headed straight to the bank. He opened a savings account and deposited most of the $60. He figured he would just lose it if the general had him arrested. He caught the bus back to the base, a bit surprised that no MP's seemed to be looking for him in town. As he got off the bus, he spotted his old friend, Greenbaum, headed straight for him. His expression was grim. Greenie had obviously been watching for him.

Greenbaum looked at him. "I'm sorry, chum, but you're under arrest. I have to take you to the General."

Carter nodded. "I know. I was going to see him anyway." Carter submitted to being handcuffed, knowing his friend was under orders, and they began the humiliating trek towards HQ. Carter's faced burned at the looks he received from the others along the way.

As they walked, Greenbaum filled him in on what had happened with Belechinski. Carter took the news calmly, and said nothing. He wasn't surprised at the other private's actions. He wasn't angry. After all, the whole thing was his own fault.

Before they reached HQ, Carter glanced over at his friend. "Thanks for not rubbing it in about the general's daughter."

Greenie smiled faintly. "I know you. You feel bad enough as it is. No reason for me to make it worse."

They entered the building, with Carter praying he would make it out of there in one piece, let alone with a career left.

~HH~

The meeting with the general was brief and to the point. He dismissed the MP and then spoke sternly to the young private. "My daughter just called me and explained the situation. While I am grateful that nothing happened between you—physically—I hold you entirely responsible for the whole mess."

Carter nodded, looking the general right in the eye. "Yes, sir. I am responsible for everything that happened."

For a moment, General Edmonds paused. He couldn't help comparing Carter to Belechinski at that moment. He was angry over the incident, but a part of him admired Pvt. Carter. He was truly an honorable man, no matter what mistakes he had made. But he had no intention of letting the young man off. Dee-dee was still his daughter, and he was fiercely protective of her.

"You will remain in custody until your unit ships out. I am turning down your request for transfer to OCS."

Andrew blanched. "But sir…I've already passed the entrance exam! If I don't attend Officer Candidacy School, then I can't become a pilot!"

"I realize that. You will be assigned to a ground crew. With this incident on your record, especially if I choose to pursue the matter further, you would never be accepted into OCS. Accept the consequences, and I will say no more. Should you decide to fight me on this, your career in the military is over."

Andrew's dreams of following his brother Sammy into the air evaporated. "Yes, sir."

The general called Greenbaum back into the room, and shortly, Carter found himself alone in a small cell. Greenie promised to check on him, and to bring him chow later. Greenie had not asked any questions, knowing his friend was hurting. Perhaps they would talk later.

~HH~

Less than two weeks later, Carter and Belechinski were released. The word had come down, and they were being sent overseas. They would have only a few hours to put together their belongings before the trucks would come to carry them to the ship. Nothing was said about a specific location, except that it was "somewhere in Europe." Bets were on France or Italy. Andrew was sure it would be England. Greenbaum was also being transferred overseas, and Andrew was grateful he would have a friend on the trip, even if they rarely saw one another.

As he stood by the rail of the ship, looking out over the endless ocean, Andrew thought about all that had happened. He had never told his parents about Dee. He saw no reason to hurt them. And he had vowed never to drink like that again. He glanced down at the ring on his left hand. He had taken some guff about it from a few of the men, but he had decided he would never voluntarily remove it. He sighed and wondered what the future held. Now that his flying career was gone, he would be nothing more than a grease monkey at an airfield. He likely would not survive the war, and he would make no difference for the Allies at all.

Little did he know.

~The End~

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End file.
